Middle English Dictionary Entry
height(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | height(e n. Also heighthe, heiȝt(e, heiȝth(e, eiȝþe, heiht(e, heit, heith(e & hẹ̄ght(e, hegthe, heȝt, heȝþe, heth, hekþe & hīght(e, hiȝt(e, hiȝth(e, hiht, hihðe, hieght, hite. |
| Etymology | OE hēahþu, hīhþ(u, hēhþu, hēþ, on hȳþe. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1a.
(a) Height, altitude, stature; also, depth; also, the dimension of height; ~ kept, measured height; hipe ~, the height of one's hip; on (in, of) ~, in height; (b) high situation, upper part, top, summit; fig. heaven, the height of heaven; -- often pl.; ~ of the wombe, wall of the belly; (c) great height, tallness; (d) angular elevation; (e) protuberance; ~ of the epiglote, the protuberance of the epiglottis; (f) end, boundary, limit.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)266/190 : Fram þe eorþe heo was op i-houe þe heiȝþe of fet þreo.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ex.25.25 : Þou schalt make to it..a golden mergyn..a grauen coroun with foure fynger-mele heyȝt [WB(2): foure fyngris hiȝ; L altam].
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Num.11.31 : Þei flowyn in þe eyr two cubytes on eyȝþe opon þe erþe.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1890 : Round was the shap..Ful of degrees the heighte of sixty paas.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.227 : Iulius Cesar his piler..haþ in heiþe two hondred feete and fifty.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.180 : Geometrie, Thurgh which a man hath thilke sleyhte, Of lengthe, of brede, of depthe, of heyhte To knowe the proporcion.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)283a/a : In gentil hors..me takeþ hiede..of heighte, of lengþe and brede þat þe syde be longe and somdel smal.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Gosp.(Phys-E)25 : The first dai sal al the se Boln and ris..The heyt thar of sal passe the felles Bi sexti fot.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)1677 : Fiueten on heght [Göt: heit]..Fra grund vnto þe tabulment.
- ?c1400 Treat.Geom.(Sln 213)63 : Mesure þe heght whilk es bitwene þe hyhere parte of þe table and þe erthe. and þat mesure sale be callede þe heght kept.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)788 : Þe walle..a ful huge heȝt hit haled vpon lofte.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.4864 : Wel woxe of heiȝte and of good stature.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.827 : Troilus wel woxen was in highte [StJ-C: on highte].
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)49/30 : And the tabernacle is..xj fote in heghte [vr. on hegthe].
- (1432) Rec.Norwich 2390 : The seyd kaye of ffreston asshleryd of a conable brede and heythe accordyng to that werk of ffreston.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)2613 : I was so hawtayne of herte..I helde nane my hippe heghte vndire heuen ryche.
- (c1450) Capgr.St.Aug.(Add 36704)56/32 : Þe cite of þe deuel whech growith in heith, tyl he comth on þat abusion þat he despiseth God.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)p.41 fn. : Noe Schyp..In brede ffyfty. And þe heyth thretty.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)30/260 : The heght is euen thyrty Cubettis full strenght.
b
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)24/24 : Þe lheuedi of hap heþ..þe manne..arered and yzet to þe heȝþe of hare hueȝel.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)p.185 : Þe ouercunner [read: ouercummer] shal lade me vp myn heȝtes [L excelsa], singand in psalmes.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)2406 : Wan he cam to þe castel wal..Wyþ a laddre of lethere..sone had he þe heȝþe.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Gen.28.12 : He seeyȝ in his slepez a laddre stondyng vpon þe erþ, & þe heyȝte [WB(2): cop; L cacumen] of it touchyng heuen.
- a1425(a1396) Maidstone PPs. (Wht)697 : For he say fro his holy heiȝt, To erþe oure Lord say out of heuene.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)23013 : We haf þe heght and þai þe lagh.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.m.6.4 : Byhoold the heightes of the sovereyn hevene. Ther kepin the sterres..hir oolde pees.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)150a/a : The sexte capitle of sekenesses of þe heiȝte [*Ch.(1): pariete i. walle; L parietis] of þe wombe.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)233 : Heythe..culmen, cacumen.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)798 : Thane wandyrs þe worme awaye to hys heghttez.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)27.239 : The water Encresid so hye Into the heyghthe of the yl Sekerlye.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)795 : If we our dedes wil duly drese..And win vnto þe hight of heuyn.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)700 : [Anectanabus] Boȝes him vp to a brenke..To þe hiȝt of þe depe dike.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)28 : This same capitol had many templis..For in þe heith a boue was a temple consecrate to iubiter and iuno.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)19a/b : Þe two oþere bonys þat ben clepid veneralia..in her heiȝþe, þat is to seie, in þe ouer partie of þe heed, þei ben contynued togideris.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)62a : A heghte: Apex, Cacumen..supercilium montis.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)7.8 : And for that in heght [L in altum] agayn ga.
c
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)1380 : Þe fader in cedre þou sal take, A tre of heght, þat has na make.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)7060 : He couthe thurgh his sleght Do maken up a tour of height [F une grant tor].
- a1450(c1400-25) Legat Serm.PD (Wor F.10)2/46 : Abram is as muche to mene as heyth or lift op hiȝe.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)9a : Somtyme heyþe [L proceritatem] or lengþe of stature was hiȝliche of-souȝt in kniȝtes and werrioures.
- a1500 Methodius(3) (Stw 953)240 : Sethe-ys kynrede..gotyn gyauntis of hydows hyte.
d
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.4 : The sonne..was descended So lowe that he nas nat..Degrees nyne and twenty as of highte [Elsm: in highte].
- c1400 *Chaucer Astr.(Brussels 4869)[1.1] 76a : Thyn astrelabie hath a ryng to putten on the thombe of thy riȝt hand in takynge the heyȝte of thynges.
- c1400 *Chaucer Astr.(Brussels 4869)[2.3] 85a : I took the altitude of my sunne & fond that it was 25 degrees & 30 minutes of heiȝte in the bordure on the backsyde.
- a1450(?c1430) Lydg.DM(1) (Hnt EL 26.A.13)38/283 : With instrumentis of astronomy To take the grees & hight of eueri sterre.
e
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)150/2 : Þe ligament of þe þrote is clepid emanence eiþir þe heiȝþe [Add: hekþe; L eminentia] of þe epiglote.
f
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Deut.28.64 : Þe lord shal scatere þe into alle peplis fro þe heiȝþe [L summitate; WB(2): hiȝnesse] of þe erþe vnto þe termys of hit.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Josh.15.2,8 : Þe bygynnynge of hit fro þe heiþe [L summitate; WB(2): hiȝnesse] of þe most salt see..þe coppe of þe hul..at þe west in þe heyȝþe [L summitate; WB(2): hiȝnesse] off þe valeiȝe of raphaym.
1b.
In adverb phrases: on (in, of, upon) ~; (a) in a high position, up high, aloft, upraised; also fig. high on Fortune's wheel; stonden upon ~, to stand tall; (b) up to a certain height, upwards, up; geten upon ~, to get up; maken (reisen) on ~, build up; fig. a)risen on ~, rise up; (c) in heaven; in God's high place; -- also in pl.; (d) out loud, loudly.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)421 : Þe hilles were on hiȝt, He clombe þo holtes hare.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.1510 : Fortune..whan a man is most on heyhte, Sche makth him..forto falle.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.1121 : Among the Signes upon heighte The Signe which is nombred eighte Is Scorpio.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)458 : He fongez to þe flyȝt..H[o]vez hyȝe upon hyȝt to herken tyþyngez.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)332 : Þe stif mon hym bifore stod vpon hyȝt.
- a1425(?a1350) Nicod.(1) (Glb E.9)173 : Þe heuides [of the banners] on heght halely gan helde, and bowing to him þai bed.
- ?1435(1432) Lydg.Hen.VI Entry (Jul B.2)481 : On his shuldres the Kyng bare it on heyht.
- c1440 Degrev.(Thrn)406 : Here es comen..Sir Degreuant..With heghte helmys on hyghte.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)377/88 : To me Moyses he mustered his myght..Wher we were on an hille on hight.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)1139/30 : Than sir Mellyagaunce com wyth swerde all on hyght.
- a1500(?c1400) Song Roland (Lnsd 388)450 : To hym all lowtyd, and he on hight hovid.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Josh.8.26 : Iosue forsoþe wiþdrow not þe hond þat in heiȝþe [vr. hiȝth; WB(2): an hiȝ; L in sublime] he putte opp holdynge pe [read: þe] shilde.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert)B.12 : Phebus..Degrees was fyue and fourty clombe on highte.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)prol.1019 : Nembrot..the Tour Babel on heihte Let make.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.2124 : He him caste Unto the ground and hield him faste That he ne mihte..Out of his hond gete upon heighte.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)17758 : Iesus on hight til heuen stei.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.519 : Þe towmbe..Whiche Alysaundre dide on heyȝt reise.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.pr.1.75 : I schal fycchen fetheris in thi thought by whiche it mai arisen in heighte.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1157 : Þay hafe vp hys hawberke þan and handilez..His hyde and his haunche eke, on heghte to þe schuldrez.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)41/1 : He lifte his swerde on heghte.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)975 : Hym merueillede..Þat þe Trogens were risen on heighte.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)4577 : Cesar..dide hym make a merueyllous tour..Brod & þykke þe gynnynge was & euere hit nareweþ rysande on heyght.
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)123 : As raþe as þe sonne ros..Þe tres spradden hure spraies and spronngen on hiȝþe.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)740 : As stoon..bere hyt never so hye on highte, Lat goo thyn hand, hit falleth doun.
- a1475(a1456) Shirley Death Jas.(Add 5467)28 : The which harte lepe thrise more than a fote of heghte, after hit was drawen owte of his body.
- c1480(1422) Lydg.SD (Add 48031)49/4 : The wallis were reised on heithe bi the manly & prudent diligence of Remvs and Romvlus.
- a1500 Wars Alex.(Dub 213)678 : [Anectanabus] Hedes heterly on heght, beheld on a sterne.
c
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)92.6 : Our Lord ys wonderful on heȝt [L in altis].
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mark 11.10 : Osanna in hiȝtees [vr. heiȝthis; WB(2): hiȝest thingis; L in excelsis].
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)13620 : Blisce him..þat wons on hight.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)501 : My regne..is lyk on hyȝt To a lorde þat hade a uyne.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)386/235 : Mi Fadir wonnys in heuen on hight.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)165/102 : We must..offre oure sone..up to his fadyr in hyght.
d
- a1350 Mon in þe mone (Hrl 2253)35 : Þah ich ȝeȝe vpon heþ, nulle nout hye.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1784 : He..spak thise same wordes al on highte.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.904 : Pleying by signes in þe peples siȝt Þat þe poete songon hath on hiȝt.
- c1440(a1400) Awntyrs Arth.(Thrn)346 : Scho..askede Sir Arthure, fulle hendely one highte.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)33/9 : The Athenyenes redd þis lettre and þan þay bigan to crye on highte.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)42/4 : The dwarf toke the horne and blew it on hight.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)281/36 : He kneled uppon his kneis and cryed on hyghte: 'A lorde, sir Launcelot.'
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)308/59 : Oure prynces, for sothe, dyd nothyng right, And so I saide to theym on hight.
2.
(a) Excellence, most excellent part, high degree of a quality; degree; on ~, in an excellent manner, beautifully; ~ of wordes, high-sounding words; (b) honorable position, glory, wealth; held on ~, considered valuable; (c) interest on a loan; (d) innermost part of the soul, depth.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Col.2.4 : This thing I seie, that no man disceyue ȝou in hiȝthe of wordis [L in sublimitate sermonum].
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)398 : Þe wyȝe..Þat is hende in þe hyȝt of his gentryse.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.4784 : Þe ground y-pauyd þoruȝ-out with cristal And vp-on heiȝt parformyd euery wal.
- a1425(?a1400) PCounsel.(Hrl 674)153/8 : Loue steriþ me þerto more þen any abilnes þat I fele in myself in any heiȝt of kunnyng.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.pr.2.272 : Alle thinges that oughten ben desired ben referred to good, ryght as to a maner heighte [L cacumen] of hir nature.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.pr.6.53 : And thilke devyne thought that is iset and put in the tour (that is to seyn, in the heighte) of the simplicite of God.
- (1434) Misyn ML (Corp-O 236)113/28 : Be vnmanerly takynge of foyde fro þe heth of vertew þa down cast.
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)48/32 : He that dyez..es not [to] be sorowede..for that he lakkes thys hyeght of lyght [L hac luce].
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)174/21 : An hille es vndirstande heght [L altitudo] of connynge of ayther testament.
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)1.23.38a : If þou fele in þin herte..an heiȝþe, and excellence, and an ouerpassinge of oþer men or womman.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)192/1 : Þe pointis..ben comaundementis; Neuerþeles..eche of hem may in suche degree of heiȝt, maner and circumstance be chosun bi doom of resoun.
b
- a1350 Ichot a burde in a (Hrl 2253)5 : Ase onycle he ys yholden on hyht.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)27a/b : Fastigium: heyȝþe or worshype.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)23/25 : Now ere we broghte fra reches in-to pouerte..and now fra heghte we are plungede in-to lawnesse.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2706 : Þi lawnes & þi litillaike þou lickyns to my hiȝt.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3584 : Oure boundis ere barrayne..Þe kenir is oure corage..To put away oure pouerte & pas to ȝoure hiȝtes.
c
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)35/7 : Þer byeþ zeue manere gaueleres lenynde, þet leneþ zeluer uor oþren. And aboue þe catel nimeþ þe heȝþes [F montes].
d
- a1425(?a1400) Cloud (Hrl 674)75/2 : Þe depnes of spirit þe whiche is þe heiȝt (for in goostlynes alle is one, heiȝt & depnes, lengþe & brede).
3.
(a) Anger; on ~, furiously; (b) pride, haughtiness; stien on ~, to become proud.
Associated quotations
a
- c1230 Ancr.(Corp-C 402)58/12 : Heo schal beo greattre ibollen..ȝef ha setteð hire wordes..soðliche wið uten hihðe & hehschipe in a softe steuene.
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)732 : Now i houppe þat þou will dele Strokes appon hyghte.
- a1475 Siege Troy(1) (Hrl 525)1610d : Also sterne he is in fyght As a lyon out rages on heyght.
b
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)1405 : Þar flesch draheþ men to drunnesse..An stiȝþ on heþ þurþ modinesse, An ouer hoheð þanne lasse.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)108/273 : Who hys þat neuer heȝþe droȝ Toward hys þat was?
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. height.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc. (sense 1a.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. height of the womb.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc. (sense 1a.(e)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. height of the epiglot.